Work Text:
Work today wasn't turning out very well, Kazuki had to admit to himself. There was an annoying headache that had persisted for a few days now, and he was slowly starting to regret not saying anything about it to Soushi. His usual work at Rakuen had been manageable yesterday, but now, it was getting too much for him to handle. For some reason, the simplest food preparation work felt difficult, and as he made it to the cafe side to check if the tables needed cleaning, he found himself just wanting to sit down.
Maybe it would pass if he rested a moment, he figured as he took a seat. Lied to himself, he knew. This wasn't going to pass and this was probably something that could get worse, which was the exact reason he had hesitated to tell Soushi about it.
He closed his eyes for a moment, rubbing his forehead. He needed to make a doctor's appointment, and he needed to call Mr. Mizoguchi and tell him he wasn't going to be able to work today, as much as he hated the idea. He made a move to return to the kitchen, but at that very moment the door opened, and he turned to look. "We're not open-" he started to say, but then went quiet. It was Soushi.
"Would've thought you'd be busy making lunch by now," Soushi noted as he saw Kazuki sitting there, and Kazuki in turn couldn't help but notice that the expression on Soushi's face was somehow uneasy. "Are you feeling unwell?"
Kazuki sighed. Might just as well get straight to the point, since Soushi already suspected something. "You could say that. It's just that I've had this annoying headache for a few days now, and now it just feels like I can't get anything done."
"Why haven't you said anything?" Soushi questioned, definitely alarmed now. "Or haven't you heard? Sakura's been stuck in the Medical Room since last night, and it's due to assimilation symptom issues. Whatever you have could be the same thing - she said it started as a headache, and yesterday she plain out fainted. Doctor Toumi's looking into it already and discovered a possible reason, so we're having all the Fafner pilots checked. But if you've had that for days, we need to..."
With the way Soushi put it, and the worried expression on his face was making Kazuki feel very uneasy. "It..." He cut in. "Wasn't this bad the other day but..." He raised his hand and pressed it against his forehead. "Maybe it's best we go get this checked out? Just in case. There's also the bit where my feet have been feeling oddly numb since the morning. That's why I was sitting here, actually, it was..."
That was about as far as he made it with the explanation, as he tried to get up from the chair - only to find himself on the floor a second later. Soushi rushed to his side and knelt next to him. "Kazuki! Are you...?"
"Ah...?" Kazuki pushed himself up from the floor, trying to get up, but he then glanced at his feet and shook his head. "I can't move my legs. Weird."
Soushi picked him up and got him back into the chair, checking him quickly. "That's it, we're going to Alvis right now."
* * * * * * * *
The mood in the Alvis room, filled with anxious Fafner pilots, was rather gloomy. The results of their medical checks would be done in a moment, Dr. Toumi had told them, but it didn't stop everyone from feeling worried. Sakura, who was feeling a little better now, had wanted to get up from bed and now sat in a wheelchair. Kazuki had one too; Soushi had picked one up and pushed him all the way to Alvis in it. He had also insisted on helping Kazuki with everything, be it moving around for the medical scan or whatever.
The door finally opened after what felt like forever, and everyone turned to look at Chizuru, who entered, a tablet in her hand. "All right, everyone, I have your results," she begun. "The good news is that we figured out the cause," she explained, and the rest of the crew looked at each other, relieved. "It's to do with the part of your brain that controls the-"
"Who cares about that," Sakura cut in. "Explain the fancy medical babble to Kenji and Soushi who actually understand that and just tell us. Can you cure this or not, or are me and Kazuki going to be stuck in these damn wheelchairs for the rest of our lives?"
Chizuru smiled. "To keep it short, yes, it can be cured," she said, which earned a sigh of relief from the pilots. "I'll save you the technical explanation, but I identified the cause. What you want to hear is anyway that it can be treated and prevented. All that's left to do now is to make the medicine which will then take care of the issue." She looked at Kazuki and Sakura and nodded. "It'll take about a week to test and manufacture the medicine, then a few more weeks for the effect to kick in properly, but you two should be back to normal after that."
"What about everyone else?" Kenji questioned. "Short version please," he added, glancing at Sakura. Chizuru stepped closer and handed over the tablet, pointing out some certain part to Kenji before turning back to the others.
"As I said, it can be prevented," Chizuru continued her explanation. "We will include a form of said medication in future treatments of Fafner pilots and it'll keep this issue from happening again. With enough luck, this'll be taken care of before anyone else even starts showing symptoms. To summarize," she continued. "A few weeks to a month, and you two should be walking again. Can you wait that much?"
This was sounding a lot better than expected, Kazuki quietly admitted. "I can deal for a month," he said aloud. "It'll be a bit inconvenient, of course, but..."
"Not a problem," Soushi cut in. "I'll take responsibility for not noticing your symptoms sooner and will make sure you get everywhere without a problem."
As serious and ridiculous as Soushi managed to sound, Kazuki found himself smiling at that.
* * * * * * * *
The first days stuck in the wheelchair took some getting used to, though getting around wasn't really much of a problem when Soushi was doing exactly as promised and pushing the wheelchair anywhere Kazuki needed to go. There were too many stairs around the Makabe house, though, which had led to him staying with Soushi in Alvis for now, and for whenever he wanted to stop by home, Soushi insisted on carrying him. Awkward as it was, it worked out.
They had stayed in the Makabe house the previous night, and Soushi dutifully carried him on his back all the way to where the wheelchair waited then helped him sit down, making sure he was comfortable. "You really don't have to fuss over me this much, you know," Kazuki said. "Don't you have your studies?"
"Don't be silly. You're part of the studies, anyway," Soushi replied. "Keeping an eye on you helps me study the condition. Besides, I can't let you even consider trying to go to work on your own. Shall we?" He started pushing the wheelchair along the road, and Kazuki let out a sigh, resigned. It wasn't like he actually minded ending up spending nearly all his time with Soushi, even if he did wonder if Soushi neglected work or studies because of him.
Then again, perhaps having something like this to focus on was good for Soushi, once in a while, he thought as the continued along the road. Soushi did have the bad habit of working too much and getting out more because he was pushing Kazuki's wheelchair everywhere worked out. Kazuki decided he definitely could handle a few weeks of this, if that's what it came down to.
"Oh hey, it's Kazuki and Soushi," Kenji's voice noted from somewhere as they made it to town area. "You doing fine?"
"I'm certain Kazuki's well-being is in good hands," Soushi replied before Kazuki managed to say anything. "I'm keeping a close eye on him, after all. You just worry about your own patient." He nodded to Sakura, who was sitting in a wheelchair which Kenji now pushed a little closer. "Though I suppose Sakura's more used to this than Kazuki is."
Sakura gave him an unimpressed look. "Not like I have a choice. That getting back to normal part would be nice, anyway, since then I might actually have some strength to walk around a bit. Right now, I'm kinda stuck. Anyway, where are you two heading?" She wondered. "Shopping?"
"Rakuen, where else?" Kazuki replied. "I can still work if I have a chair in the kitchen. So moving around is kinda extra effort, but I can hold myself up easily enough. Plus Soushi's insisting on helping out today, just to see if I can handle it. Why, where are you two going then?"
"Well doesn't that work out just fine then," Sakura replied. "The same as you. Original plan was to make Kenji push me around town a bit then go get lunch at Rakuen, but if you're going there, good, then we can just come hang out there while you make that lunch."
Kenji looked something between not impressed and relieved at the same time, and Kazuki gave him a questioning look then just shrugged. "Why not, I guess," he said. "Besides, if Kenji's coming, that'd give Soushi something to do too, since he's determined to keep an eye on me. Maybe you can look over some medical studies or something while I cook?"
"Good," Sakura said. "Race you there! Come on, put a move on, Kenji."
It appeared the rest of the crew was somewhat slow at catching on. "Race?" Kazuki questioned, glancing over his shoulder at Soushi then looking at Sakura and Kenji. "What, with the wheelchairs?"
Behind the other wheelchair, Kenji rolled his eyes. "What a lovely idea," he complained. "This works out just fine until you realize I'm the one who has to push this wheelchair around."
"Oh, you're admitting defeat already, then?" Soushi cut in with a hint of a smirk. "Come on, Kazuki," he added, pushing the wheelchair forward. "Let's make it to Rakuen before Kenji finishes his rant."
It had never taken much to get Kenji to rise up to the challenge, of course; Sakura grinned at Soushi's commentary, and Kenji just gave their opponents a long look. "You're asking for it, Soushi," Kenji said, pushing the wheelchair a little faster all of a sudden, cutting ahead of Soushi and Kazuki.
"Now that's more like it," Sakura cheerfully said. "See you guys over at Rakuen!"
Kazuki glanced at Soushi again then reached to grab the push-rims on the wheels to add a little more speed, and Soushi gave him a nod and picked up his pace, half-jogging now. "Not if I have anything to say to that," Kazuki noted to Sakura with a smile as they passed the pair. "Let's do this, Soushi."
"Not a chance," Kenji commented, also pretty much running now and managing to get just a tiny bit ahead of Kazuki and Soushi, only to have Soushi start running as well. It quickly ended up with them both picking up speed until they were full on running, pushing the wheelchair along.
Sakura yelled something at them Kazuki couldn't make out; he was focused on looking forward. From here to Rakuen, they still had some way to go. Soushi could easily make it if he helped a bit on the way, and it wasn't difficult for someone with Kazuki's skills to go for the push-rims occasionally to add a little extra speed. Sakura, who couldn't do that, was just shaking her fist at Kazuki and yelling something again, but Kazuki wasn't about to care.
They passed by a couple of people on the road; too quickly, Kazuki realized, because one of the people had to jump out of the way. He made a mental apology then concentrated on the race. Soushi was running as fast as he could; Kenji was doing the same, and they both seemed determined not to fall behind, though Kazuki and Soushi were tiny bit ahead now.
Another couple of innocent by-standers were forced to dodge them, and Kazuki glanced over his shoulder, just to realize the pair of people had been his father and Dr. Toumi. "You-!" Chizuru yelled after them, sounding something between shocked and really angry. "Just how old are you all!" She continued, and at this point Kazuki was quite happy that they were going away from the pair, really quickly. That, and coming up with what he was going to explain to his dumbfounded father was going have to wait till later.
"Come on, Kenji, they're getting away," Sakura on the side complained, and Kenji grunted something as he continued as fast as he just could. Hopefully there weren't too many more people in the way, was the only thing Kazuki could think of as he watched the road ahead.
Their goal was in sight after another few blocks; Kazuki glanced over his shoulder again and noted somewhat victoriously that they were well ahead now. That and the somewhat disgruntled looking person somewhere in the distance following them was probably Dr. Toumi and they were going to hear about this, but that had to wait.
There were some people near Rakuen, Kazuki noted as he turned to look ahead again - only to realize it was Canon and Maya, out of whom Canon was pointing at them and commenting something, and Maya, with a camera in hand, was taking pictures.
"It's our win!" Soushi declared as they made it, and he slowed down. "What was that about seeing us over at Rakuen?" He asked, turning around and looking at Kenji and Sakura with a smug smile.
Kenji slowed down as well, appearing something between annoyed and defeated - not that he had much time for that, because Sakura unceremoniously elbowed him in the crotch area, which caused Kenji to dramatically double over. "Oh bah. You only win because you've had Kazuki to help you," Sakura stated. "And because you don't work out enough," she continued, glaring at Kenji. "You might've won today, but just you wait."
Kazuki found himself chuckling a little. Victory it might've been, not that they were going to get to celebrate for long, seeing they would to deal with the consequences soon, what with Chizuru getting dangerously closer every passing moment.
It was kind of too late to pretend this hadn't happened, either, because Maya was still taking pictures.
* * * * * * * *
The last couple of weeks he had spent in the wheelchair had really taught Kazuki to appreciate the ability to walk on his own, and that morning, when he slowly made it along the road with the crutches, he felt rather victorious. Soushi walked by his side, even if he had to walk really slowly, but his excuse today was to make sure Kazuki could actually make it all the way to Rakuen on his own. Kazuki insisted on it, though; it didn't matter to him how slowly he made the trip, if he was able to make it on his own.
Like on so many days during the last weeks, Kenji and Sakura in the wheelchair were waiting down the road, but as they saw them, the expression on Kenji's face was filled with such relief right as Kazuki and Soushi got closer.
Sakura, however, looked severely disappointed. "Where's your wheelchair?"
"I stopped using it last night," Kazuki replied. "The medicine's working, which I'm sure you know by now. I've finally recovered enough that I can start trying to walk again. Going to need these crutches for a while, but..."
"Aw darn it. Yes, I know the medicine's working," Sakura confirmed. "I've started feeling better in the last few days as well, but does this mean no more rematches?"
"No more races," Kazuki confirmed.
Soushi chuckled. "At least Kenji can now stop crying over the whole thing," he commented, earning a bit of a glare from Kenji. "What, is it my fault that I was better at that? Not me demanding the rematches, here, you should've talked to Sakura about that."
For someone getting teased about it, Kenji was looking quite cheerful. "Ahh, yeah, such a shame," he said. "And I was so anxiously waiting for all those races. Glad that you're getting better, though, Kazuki."
"Hmmmpth. If I didn't know you better, I'd say you're happy about this," Sakura said. Kenji shook his head and put on his best innocent face, and Sakura turned away, looking annoyed.
Kazuki smiled. "But look at it this way," he pointed out as he slowly continued forward. "No more getting scolded by Dr. Toumi over it, either."
End.